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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Blogiversary and Why I Blog

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since my first blog post. In January 2008, days after we signed up for our current house on a whim (you can read the story here), I started AM Dolce Vita as a way to share my life stories with my family and friends around the world. Despite reading a lot of blogs on an ongoing basis, I was a casual blogger for the longest time until after our house was built and we moved in in July 2009.

Within a matter of months, the blog has evolved into a place for me to document my research and our around-the-clock room-by-room home renovation projects. Through this blog, I've learnt a lot from some fellow designer bloggers, and reciprocated with my own experience. I've never intended or used this blog for any income generation, although secretly I've always hoped that some day I could pursue a design career after I am done with the corporate world. Nowadays as we wrapped up most of the major projects, it would seem like there's no pressing need for me to continue to blog. So why do I blog these days?I love the interactions with my "virtual" friends. Although some of my real-world BFFs are also following my blog, the majority of my readers are virtual. Through commenting I could learn a lot of a blogger's personality and style and I love this type of communication. Blogging is also a hobby and an outlet for my creativity. Creative writing keeps my mind sharp. To produce a good-quality post, I either have to complete a certain project/task myself or do a lot of research - both of which lead to me acquiring new skills and/or knowledge. So yes, blogging is a great way to keep myself current (and relevant). Through blogging, I am constantly exposed to industry trends, DIY tips, design inspirations, etc., which all allow me to lead a more "dolce vita". So yes, I believe I live better and more productively through what I learn from trusted blogs. But I do often question why I stillblog. My day job is very demanding and often stressful and I travel like crazy. My brain would spark up bits and pieces of creative ideas throughout the day during my rare quiet moments but I wasn't able to put them down anywhere. I could be stuck on a highway during rush hour or at an airport due to a flight delayat the time. I often wonder what's it to be like as a full-time design blogger, to be able to, during work days, go to fabulous store previews, design industry events and galas. And what's it like to be able to blog any time a creative idea strikes; and to be able to savour a design/decor project and document it accordingly. Unfortunately, time and flexibility is a rarity to me, and balance between work and life has been a constant struggle since my adolescence - blame my Asian parents for bringing me up with their work ethics! As much as I struggle and sometimes on the verge of giving up blogging for good, I think I will continue to blog. I've always been a blogger for fun and I think I can continue to be one. Happy 5-year Blogiversary to me!

About Me

I started AM Dolce Vita to document the renovation and redesign of our custom built home. A software sales executive by profession, a design blogger by hobby, a self-confessed serial decorator, an avid traveler, photographer and gardener, a daughter and a wife, don't we all wear multiple hats? I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I do. If you have any question please do not hesitate to reach me at amdolcevita88 (at) gmail (dot) com.